介紹
這門課是對於科技散文的藝術性和技巧性的發揚，研究以及實踐。根據自己的興趣和想法，你可以寫一些以科學技術為主題的文章，言之有物，用詞爾雅。課堂中相當多的時間將被用於小組或全班性的討論寫作，以及對於指定重點文章的修訂：課程的重心是學生自身的寫作。為激發大家的思考並且提供科技散文種種寫作方式的範例，我們會閱讀一些散文家的作品，包括Diane Ackerman, Stephen Jay Gould, Oliver Sacks, Malcolm Gladwell, Alan Lightman, Bill Bryson等等，特別注意他們是怎樣把科學的想法生動地帶給讀者的。討論的主題將包括短文的性質；解釋科學概念的難處；科學短文的讀者；文化背景下的科學；以及科學傳記的主題（但也並不局限於這些）。
這門課最主要的任務是開拓你的寫作技能，使作品更清晰更有力，也幫助你從作者的角度認識寫作的目的和你的讀者。你必須在我規定的時間內完成6篇文章，大多數作業都有很大的選題範圍和多種寫作方式。大多數文章都不長，2-5頁左右；部分長文章要10-12頁。修訂是我們課中很重要的內容。只有文章1會只改一次；文章5（長文章）和你們自己挑選的一篇將花更多的時間來潤飾。
這門課還包括“幫助學習”的部分：我們將和Malden中學的科學學分班合作，幫助他們研究，寫作和修改關於“家庭科學”的文章（我們的第二次作業）。這項任務會使我們從一個新的角度去思考該怎樣進行科學寫作的研究，不同的讀者會怎樣看待我們的作品，以及從新的角度去評估我們迄今為止學到的寫作和修改方法。
主要作業
寫作的作業將在獨立的文本中詳述。以下只是簡要的概括：
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文章1，寫2頁讀後感，讓你做一個熱身。
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文章2，，《家庭科學》，就你日常遇到的一些與科學相關的事寫一篇3頁長的文章。
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文章3，《生命/科學》，就你自己的親身經歷寫一篇4頁長的文章。
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文章4，就科學技術的某些方面對社會的影響寫一篇5頁長的文章。
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文章5（3頁），對於我給你的書目中任選的一本作評論。
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文章6比較長，（10-12頁），題目自擬。
注意： 這門課沒有考試。
閱讀資料
這門課沒有教材。大多數的課堂閱讀都能在麻省理工學院圖書館的電子藏書中找到。一些閱讀材料會印發給大家或可以從網路中獲得。
對於文章5，書評，我會列一份大約有15本書的書單讓你從中選擇（在第三次上課時發給你）。你可以去買書，也可以去圖書館借閱。
如果你們沒有一本很好的大學字典的話，我強烈建議你們去買一本。注意，我指的不是袖珍字典！如果英語不是你的母語的話，你至少需要兩本好字典。
教學方針
出席：這門課主要以討論的形式而不是講座形式。你在課上不僅僅要做一個作者，還要閱讀和回應同學的作品，並且參加討論。因此，出席是很重要的。
遲到是對你同學和教授的不尊敬。如果你經常遲到，會影響你的課堂參與分數。
繳交期限: 為了參與課堂討論，你必須準時完成閱讀作業。你也必須把草稿帶到討論課上，並準備好演講。修改文章的期限比較有彈性。所有的作業上交不得遲於第26堂課後的兩天。
討論會: 你們至少要有一次和我進行討論，但我鼓勵更多的討論。把你們寫作中的問題帶來，比如怎樣使導言更生動或者怎樣在文章中把想法連接起來。你也可以在討論時間繼續課堂中的討論或說說從閱讀中激發的靈感。如果你無法預約討論時間，請告訴我。
評分
你的寫作品質是你學期分數的主要評定標準。我也會考慮你的努力和進步程度，尤其是在修改、課堂參與（包括討論中的參與情況）中所表現出的。得“A”的作業是在寫作技巧、主旨和形式上都很出色，能取悅編輯的。得“B”的作業是不錯的，扎實的。得“C”的雖然還可以但不值得推薦。得“D”的只是表面上符合課程的要求，只因讀者的仁慈而被接受。“F”是留給那些沒達成課程要求的作業。
這個課中，文章2-5每篇佔期末分數的15%。長文（文章5）將佔30%。課堂參與和文章1共佔10%。
注意：在期末，我會要求檢視個人的作品集(包含所有的草稿)，以便更準確地評判你的進步和成果，所以保留你全部的作業!
抄襲： 借用別人的語言或思想而沒有註明，在學術上和專業上都是不誠實，是欺騙你自己和讀者的行為。這也將給你的學術生涯帶來很嚴重的後果。麻省理工學院對待抄襲是很重視的：這門課中只要有抄襲立即得F並且會在你的檔案中記上一筆；再犯將被退學。我們會在課上討論如何合適地引用出處。形式手冊如《形式指南袖珍書》中有關於抄襲的討論，也提供了許多如何引出處的例子，《Mayfield科技寫作手冊》也一樣。 請注意：這門課不接受你在其他課上交過的論文，即使是你自己寫的。
網上鏈結
麻省理工學院圖書館
波士頓公立圖書館
包括牛津英語字典在內的參考幫助，可以在字典與類屬詞典找到。
麻省理工學院寫作中心網站提供怎樣和寫作助教預約討論的資訊，也能幫助你解決語法問題。在這個網站中你也可以找到文章抄襲剽竊的定義。
[注意：寫作中心不僅僅是提供給有寫作困難的學生，對於麻省理工學院中所有作者，這都是一個很好的資源。]
注意：我會很高興你們用e-mail 來問問題或對課程提建議，我也會儘快回覆。但是我不會接受用電子方式繳交的稿件。
關於討論 (PDF)
Introduction
In this class we celebrate, analyze, and practice the art and craft of the science essay. Drawing on your own interests and ideas, you will write essays of substance and grace that have science and technology as their subjects. A considerable part of the class will be given to Workshopping writing in small groups and as a class, and to revision of the major essays assigned: the class's focus is on students' own writing. To stimulate our thinking and provide models of a variety of approaches to the science essay, we will read works by essayists including Diane Ackerman, Stephen Jay Gould, Oliver Sacks, Malcolm Gladwell, Alan Lightman, Bill Bryson and others, noting in particular how they bring scientific ideas to life for readers. Topics for discussion will include (but not be limited to) the nature of the essay; the challenge of explaining scientific concepts; the audience for science essays; science in cultural contexts; and themes in scientific biography.
The primary work of this class is to develop your skill in writing clearly and effectively, and to help you become aware of your own purposes as a writer and aware of the audience(s) you are writing for. You will write 6 essays in response to prompts from me, with wide latitude as to subject and approach for most assignments. Most of these essays will be short, 2-5 pages; the "long essay" assignment will be 10-12 pages. Revision is an important component of this class. All but Essay 1 will be revised once; Essay 5 (the long essay) and one other essay of your choice may be polished further.
This class will also have a service learning component: We will be partnering with an honors science class at Malden High School to help them research, write and revise an essay on the topic of "Home Science" (our Essay 2 assignment). This assignment will give us a fresh way to think about how we do research for science writing, how different audiences read our work, and to assess what we have learned thus far about writing and revising essays.
Major Assignments
Essay assignments will be detailed in a separate document. Here's a brief overview:
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Essay 1 will be a 2-page reading response to get your writing muscles warmed up.
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Essay 2, "Home Science," will be a 3-page essay on the science of something you encounter every day.
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Essay 3, "Life/Science," will be a 4-page essay that grows out of your own experience.
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Essay 4 will be a 5-page essay on the social impact of some aspect of science or technology on society.
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Essay 5 (3 pages) will be a review of a book chosen from the list I will provide you.
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Essay 6 will be a longer essay (10-12 pages) on a topic of your choosing.
Note: There are no tests in this class.
Reading Materials
There is no textbook for this class. Most class readings will be available via e-reserves through the MIT Library. A few readings will be handouts or available through web links.
For Essay 5, the Book Review, I will give you a list of 15 or so books from which to select. (You will have the list by Session 3.) You may want to purchase that book, or you may choose to work with a library copy.
I also strongly urge you to purchase a good college dictionary, if you do not already own one. By that I mean, not a pocket dictionary! If English is not your first language, you will need at least two good dictionaries.
Course Policies
Attendance: This class is structured more as a workshop than a lecture class. Your responsibility in the class is not only to be a writer, but also to read and respond to classmates' work and to participate in discussions. Therefore, attendance is important.
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If you miss more than two classes for any reason, you risk getting a lower grade.
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With five unexcused absences you will be withdrawn from the class.
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It is your responsibility to let me know why you are absent and to keep up with assignments when you do miss class.
Lateness is discourteous to your classmates and to your professor. Your grade for class participation will suffer if you are habitually late.
Deadlines: To participate in class discussions, you must read assignments on time. It is also imperative that you bring a draft to class on workshop days and be prepared for oral presentations. Deadlines for revisions will be more flexible. All work must be handed in no later than two days after Session 26.
Conferences: You are required to have one conference with me, but I encourage more. Bring specific questions about your writing, such as how to make an introduction more vivid or how to connect the ideas in your essay. You are also welcome to use conference time to continue discussions begun in class or try out ideas sparked by your reading. If you can't make a conference appointment, please let me know.
Grading
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I will grade each original draft and revision.
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Please note that for me to evaluate a revised essay, I must have the first marked-up draft along with the new one.
The quality of your writing will be the primary criterion for your semester grade. I'll also take into consideration effort and improvement, especially as demonstrated by revision, and class participation, including your participation in workshops. "A" work is so accomplished in skill, substance and style that it would delight an editor. "B" work is good, solid work. "C" work is satisfactory but with little to recommend it. "D" work meets the requirements of the course by the skin of its teeth and by the reader's open-hearted charity. "F" is reserved for work that does not satisfy the requirements of the course.
For this class, Essays 2-5 will each count for 15% of your final grade. The long essay (Essay 5) will count for 30% of your final grade. Class participation and Essay 1 together will count for 10% of your grade.
Note: At the end of the term I will ask to see a Portfolio with all your drafts, to better judge your progress and accomplishment-so keep all your work!
Plagiarism: To borrow someone else's language and/or ideas without attribution is academically and professionally dishonest, and cheats both you and your readers. It can also have serious consequences to your academic career. MIT takes plagiarism seriously: Plagiarism in this class will result in an automatic F and a letter in your file; a second violation can result in expulsion. We'll discuss in class ways to properly acknowledge sources. Style handbooks such as A Pocket Style Manual contain discussions of plagiarism, and offer many examples of how to cite sources, as does the Mayfield Handbook for Technical Writing. Please note: for this class, it is not acceptable to hand in a paper that you wrote for another class, even though it is your own work.
E-links
MIT's Libraries
The Boston Public Library
Reference help, including the Oxford English Dictionary, is available at Dictionaries and Thesauri.
The MIT's Writing Center site gives you info on how to make an appointment for a session with a writing tutor, as well as links to help regarding grammar. You will also find a definition of plagiarism at this site.
[Note: The Writing Center is not just for students who are struggling to pass writing classes - it is an excellent resource for all writers in the MIT community.]
Note: I am happy to hear from you by e-mail with questions and comments about class, and will respond as promptly as I can. However, I will not read drafts submitted electronically.
About Workshopping (PDF)
